“This bag hangs by my door to remind them that we all have baggage. We will leave it at the door,” she wrote. “As they left, I told them they are not alone, they are loved, and we have each other’s back.”
Karen told TODAY that the activity was not a one-and-done thing. She spent the first few days laying the groundwork with her students, establishing that the classroom would be a “respectful place where ideas were valued, students would speak individually, and kindness would be key.”
Since the initial activity, her students have written classroom contracts, had discussions about how what happened in the room, stays in the room. She’s also had them do several more trust-building exercises. The students have had (and will continue to have) opportunities to share their “baggage,” and give feedback throughout the year.
“I’ve had so many kids come in that are just thankful, I think, that somebody’s listening,” Karen said. “I think they’re liking it.”
